A late-night fire outbreak on Friday gutted parts of the Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, destroying offices and properties.

It was gathered that the incident occurred around 9.14pm when fire engulfed a building within the college premises, triggering an emergency response from the Kwara State Fire Service.

The affected structure housed offices used mainly as stores, with the fire damaging sensitive materials.

Confirming the incident in a statement issued in Ilorin on Saturday, the spokesman of the Kwaran State Fire Service Hassan Hakeem Adekunle, said the incident involved a building comprising four offices used as stores, out of which three offices were affected by the fire.

Adekunle disclosed that preliminary findings showed the fire was “suspected to have been caused by an unknown person who set undergrowth on fire, which subsequently spread to the building.

Reacting, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, CFS Alabi Muhammed, advised institutions and members of the public “to desist from indiscriminate bush and undergrowth burning.”

He stressed the need for safe clearing of vegetation, proper storage of sensitive documents, and the provision of basic firefighting equipment to reduce losses during emergencies.